Ex-Berwyn cop who was part of mob burglary ring gets 4 years in prison

Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune

James Formato, right, a former Berwyn police officer who pleaded guilty to corruption, leaves with his attorney following his sentencing at Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago today. Formato was sentenced to about 4 years in prison.

James Formato, right, a former Berwyn police officer who pleaded guilty to corruption, leaves with his attorney following his sentencing at Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago today. Formato was sentenced to about 4 years in prison. (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune)

Ryan HaggertyTribune reporter

A corrupt former Berwyn police officer who cased homes while on duty and then took part in burglaries with members of a violent crime ring linked to the Chicago Outfit was sentenced today to about 4 years in prison.

James Formato, 45, pleaded guilty in federal court nearly two years ago to racketeering and obstruction of justice, acknowledging that he passed sensitive law enforcement information to mobsters and often acted as a lookout for robberies and burglaries, sometimes while he was on duty.

Formato cooperated with prosecutors, wearing a wire to gather information against other members of the ring and providing testimony that helped lead to the convictions of six defendants, including Michael "the Large Guy" Sarno, who headed the crew. Sarno was sentenced to 25 years in prison in February.

U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman imposed the 47-month prison sentence that both Formato's attorneys as well as prosecutors had sought in return for his cooperation with investigators.

Members of the crime ring bombed a rival video poker business and pulled off home invasions and jewelry heists that netted nearly $2 million.

Formato admitted to using his position as a police officer to help his criminal associates. In one case, Formato arranged for another member of the ring to spray graffiti on the home of a coin dealer targeted for burglary. Formato later went to the house as if he were investigating the vandalism, but he was actually checking out the home's locks and interior.

The first home he burglarized, Formato said in court, belonged to an elderly woman who lived down the street from him. He was sent there to check on her welfare but noticed "it was a good place (to rob)," he said. He and a burglar friend returned a few hours after his shift ended.

Formato, who had no criminal record before he was arrested, wrote in a letter to the judge that he became involved with the crime ring at a time when he "felt like my life was falling apart." He wrote that he was devastated by his wife's infidelity and began abusing alcohol as his marriage fell apart. Soon, he wrote, he was deeply involved with the crime ring.

"As strange as it sounds, I don't even recognize the person who did the things I did during that awful time," he wrote.

Formato, wearing a brown suit and speaking in a deep voice, accepted responsibility for his crimes.

"I made a very bad decision at a very low point in my life."

"I really feel that I need to apologize to the people that I took an oath to protect," he said as he stood and faced the judge with his hands resting on a table. "I went rogue and that was not anywhere in my plan for life."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tinos Diamantatos said Formato was "a good cop" for the first 10 years of his career, but that his descent into crime had to be punished.

"There could be no worse abuse of trust than a sworn law enforcement officer, a civil servant... ultimately abusing that power in trying to enrich him or herself," Diamantatos said in court.

However, soon after federal agents confronted Formato about his involvement in the crime ring in 2006, he "completely and candidly acknowledged his involvement" and later provided crucial testimony against other defendants, Diamantatos said.